A Kiss Is A Terrible Thing To Waste
by Pinball Wizard
Summary: Part 1 of the L**e** Serial, best served with milk, sugar and MeatLoaf :) Lex finds himself falling for a girl who no-one would expect... Some references to 'adult romance', no explicit scenes...
1. Default Chapter

Disclaimer: All the characters in this fic are the property of Cloud Nine and are not created by me. The lyrics to A Kiss Is A Terrible Thing To Waste belong to MeatLoaf and his writers and are not created by me. The fiction is loosely based on Series 1 of the Tribe.  
  
A Kiss Is A Terrible Thing To Waste  
  
If you listen to the night  
You can hear the darkness call  
I can barely stand to wait  
I can barely stand at all  
  
Lex blinked his eyes open. He saw the bleary image of the room around him. He groaned. He rolled over, crashing out of the bed in a flurry of arms, legs and bedsheets. Lex couldn't be bothered to move. He felt the cold hard floor underneath his nose and cheek. He groaned again, "Ugh!"  
  
After a moment or two, he rubbed his eyes. The husky film of sleep was lifted and he took in his surroundings. His sheets were ruffled like waves, stopped in time and caught in a jar for later enjoyment. He licked his dry lips, tasting the saltiness of a silent tear he had allowed himself last night.  
  
Lex sat up and stretched. He watched his strong forearms raise above his head, straining. As he yawned, the enormous pressure blocked out the noise of the mall, replacing it with a loud, rushing sound. Lex tested this again and again, locking his jaw and listening to the rush, the rush only he could hear.  
  
He got up and sat on the bed, palms flat either side of his body, feet slightly apart, soles flat on the marble. He breathed in deeply. Downstairs Patsy and Paul could be heard chattering and playing, bouncing a ball. Every bounce thumped inside Lex's head, resounding against the walls of his skull, pump-pump-pumping. Lex tried the yawning thing again, but it couldn't block out real sounds, just the sound of emptiness. He breathed in again, Salene was cooking the last of the sausages. Lex's nostrils were filled with the meaty aroma.  
  
He padded over to where his clothes lay, screwed up on the floor. He carefully picked up his outfit and slid into it. In his heavy boots he clumped over to the mirror. His hair stood up in tufts like long strands of wire or netting. Sighing, he picked up a hairbrush and began to drag it through his hair. He tightened the bobble on top of his head, smiling at the result. One of his 'clown's triangles' was smudged. He picked up a black eye pencil and touched it up. He was ready to go.  
  
*****  
  
Salene chopped mushrooms for the breakfast she was making. It was the last of things like sausages, mushrooms, and onions. It might have been more sensible to save them but they really were going rank. She hoped there would be enough to go around.  
  
From the corner of her eye she could see Lex approaching. He sat on one of the chairs and watched her. She could feel his eyes scouring her body, taking her in. She felt uncomfortable. Without taking her eyes off the mushrooms, she began to speak.  
  
"So, how was your first proper night?" she tried to smile.  
  
Lex rolled a coin on the table between his thumb and forefinger. A snort of laughter escaped through his nose. "Better than the night before."  
  
Salene tensed. She gripped either side of the large pot. She heaved it onto her knee and, from there, onto the stove.  
  
Lex spoke again. "You people were *so* hospitable."  
  
Salene's eyes caught his. "Well, you didn't exactly make yourselves approachable."  
  
Lex shifted his eyebrows. "Well, it's all in the past now. New beginning. All for one and all that stuff."  
  
Salene smiled tentatively. "Yeah," she agreed. There was silence as Salene carried on cooking food, preparing it. She listened to him rolling the penny, rolling and stopping and dropping and rolling and stopping . She turned nervously, holding on to the counter for support. Lex still sat watching her and rolling his coin. It was unnerving.  
  
Suddenly, the silence was broken by Zandra and Ryan entering. Zandra was cheery and loud. She looked good. Ryan trailed her, he was more subdued.  
  
"I woke up this morning and I just *knew* this place was gonna be good news. I mean, sausages for breakfast! We haven't tasted sausages for ages, have we Ryan?"  
  
She looked at Ryan expectantly who replied, "Uh, no, no."  
  
Salene smiled tensely. "Well, don't get too used to it. This is the last."  
  
Zandra and Ryan sat around the corner of the table from Lex. Zandra rested her arm on the table and admired her hand, it was adorned with bracelets and rings and nail varnish.  
  
Ryan sat between Lex and Zandra, he hung his hands between his knees and listened to the sounds of the mall. Lex scraped his chair back and walked over to sit next to Zandra. He leaned in towards her. She smiled a wry smile and turned her back to him, facing Salene. Lex looked shocked and disgusted, he turned to Salene also. Ryan eyed Lex nervously.  
  
"So where is everyone?" Zandra asked, meaning 'Where's Bray?'  
  
Salene breathed out through her nose. "Well, Amber is still sleeping, I think Jack and Dal are playing around with some electrical gadget. Cloe's exhausted, she's catching up with lost sleep."  
  
"And . Bray?" Zandra ventured.  
  
Lex tutted loudly and putting his arm up to rest his head on his hand he blocked Zandra. She looked at him like he was a spoilt child and then returned her gaze to Salene. Salene made some concerned noises and attempted to answer, opening her mouth a few times.  
  
Lex stood up and putting his hands angrily on his hips he took control of the conversation. "He's gone hasn't he?!"  
  
Salene struggled for words. "Well I - I."  
  
Lex smirked and shook his head. "Fools."  
  
He walked to the cupboard. Opening it, he counted four missing tins, half the chocolate gone and the last of the fresh fruit disappeared. He slammed the cupboard door. "What did I tell you? Didn't I tell you? Double- crossing swine! We let him in and he stabs us in the back. Well, I'm not gonna take it." Walking out of the kitchen he slapped Ryan's shoulder. "Come on Ry, let's go see what else the little snake in the grass has stolen."  
  
Zandra shouted, "Lex, wait!"  
  
Ryan got to his feet. He looked apologetically at the girls and followed Lex out of the café.  
  
*****  
  
Trudy sat in the dank, dripping tunnel. It was musty and cold and it smelt of rotting meat, death and stale, stagnant water. She held her legs into her body, resting her knees under her chin. She gripped one hand in the other, locking her body into a tight ball. She dropped her head down, her forehead landed in a crook between her thighs and her stomach. The feeling of empty hunger was so consuming. It felt as if her insides had been scraped out and in their place, a big black void sat under her ribs. The ache had long since been replaced with a sort of dead numbness, a shiver of intense heat sometimes rippled from her stomach and out to her extremities. She felt like a drug addict, denied that daily fix. Sweat poured from her forehead and she gnashed her teeth. A strangled cry escaped her clenched teeth. "Ow, ow, ow."  
  
Trudy wiped her face roughly with the whole palm of her left hand. The dark, dusky eye make-up was smeared, dripping along with the sweat. Her hairline was soaked, making her soft waves of dark purple hair clump together around her tired face. Her earthy coloured clothes were stained and creased. As her body became accustomed to her position, the pain began to creep back again. She stretched her legs out and grabbed at great clumpfuls of her hair. Biting her tounge seemed to ease the pain for a while.  
  
She looked expectantly at the lightened entrance to the tunnel but to no avail. "Come on Bray," she whispered angrily, "Hurry up."  
  
Trudy was sick to the back teeth of moving from one place to another, trailing behind Bray; hearing the clock tick away another day. She felt lucky of course. She'd had lots of arguments with her boyfriend, Martin. Martin had become quite violent. He'd thrown punches but she'd been lucky, she'd got away in time and had made a run for it. One day longer and he would have got to her. He would have changed her mind. Things would have been so different. As it was, Bray took care of her. Trudy was heavily pregnant.  
  
She put her hand out and rested it on her stomach. Lolling her tired head on her shoulders she looked again to the tunnel entrance. She smiled weakly and heaved her body into a sitting position, resting against the wall. The baby would soon be here. Trudy rested her hand on her bump and looked down, as if to check it was still there. "You hungry?" she asked it, "And ready for a look at the outside world pretty soon I think."  
  
Trudy gazed in amazement at the place where a tiny body lay under her skin. "Any day now."  
  
Trudy remembered Bray and his sacrifices for her. She mustn't let him know about the hunger pangs she'd been getting. She must be strong. She wished Bray would hurry up.  
  
As if on cue, Bray's footsteps could be heard rounding the corner. His footfalls were even and rhythmic. As he came into sight, he smiled at Trudy. He took the bag he was carrying and bringing it to chest level he shook it. The cans clanged dimly and chocolate packets could be heard crackling.  
  
Trudy's eyes widened and she heaved herself to her feet. Moving towards Bray she threw her arms around him. "O Bray!" she said, hooking her arms around his waist and planting a kiss on his cheek. He raised her feet off the ground slightly and squeezed her tightly. She found her feet and rested her head on his chest, listening to his heartbeat.  
  
Trudy finally let Bray go, and sat eyeing the bag of treats greedily. Bray sat down with her. He delved into the sack with his hands. "I have." he produced two large tins, "Rice Pudding, chocolate and." another rummage, "crisps!"  
  
Revealing a pocketknife, he scored the top of a rice pudding tin and popped out the lid. He did the same to the second tin and slid one to Trudy. Trudy's first thoughts were to gulp the sludgy substance in great globules.  
  
"Easy, Trudy." Bray warned as if he had read her mind. "Your body's not used to so much rich food, pace yourself or you'll be sick."  
  
Trudy held the can in both hands between her legs, like a drink and periodically took small, delicate sips. Turning to Bray she asked, "So, what did you get up to?"  
  
Bray's face proved he was not eager to indulge any secrets. He avoided eye contact, "Well, I found a place for you to have your baby."  
  
Trudy smiled. "That's a relief."  
  
"And I - I - uh -" he rummaged on last time in his bag, "I found something you will be glad of."  
  
He presented a small cardboard box. Trudy's eyes lit up, she opened her mouth in amazement. Trudy carefully took the package from Bray. She slid the flap from where it was tucked. Silence masked the pair. As if it were some Egyptian treasure, Trudy slipped the object from the box and slowly unwrapped the white tissue paper. Sitting on her palm was a smooth, pink bar of new, scented soap. 


	2. Chapter 2

C'mon closer to me now  
Like we're sharing the same skin  
We gotta get out of this jail  
  
We gotta let the future in  
  
"WHERE'S MY SOAP?!" Zandra bawled. "The little rat! He's stolen my soap!"  
  
Amber screwed her face into contempt and disbelief. "Why would the man want your soap?"  
  
Zandra walked further into the café. "It's a Chanel limited edition! It's expensive!"  
  
Amber stood up, opening her arms to try to get the girl to understand. "It's just plain old bath soap, Zandra."  
  
Zandra's anger flashed in her pretty eyes. "It's *not* plain old bath soap. It's special soap! I had it made up especially for me, after a consultation . it was specially made for *my skin*, a delicate mix of chamomile and aloe vera!"  
  
Amber breathed out angrily. Waving her arms around her head, she walked away from Zandra, exasperated. "A delicate mix of chamomile and aloe vera!" she mimicked. "Get some priorities Zandra. Lex asked us to look for stuff that was stolen, important stuff, food and batteries, not soap and make-up. There're plenty of cosmetics in the chemist if you're so desperate."  
  
Zandra fumed behind Amber, her hands tightening into fists. Tears welled in her eyes as she clenched her teeth, but she breathed deeply and loosened up, sitting quietly next to Jack and Dal who had been watching the argument. Dal passed her a bread roll, shrugging consolingly and a tender smile of thanks spread over Zandra's face.  
  
Amber walked into the kitchen and rested a hand on the counter next to Salene. Leaning there she started to talk. "How's it going?"  
  
Salene smiled warily, stirring the giant pot. "Great . it's nearly ready. Have you seen the kids?"  
  
Amber licked her lips, stalling for time to speak. She looked up and then down again, sighing deeply she rubbed her temples with her fingertips. "Thanks Salene. You've been great today . and yesterday. You're a real help."  
  
Salene looked slightly confused. She shrugged. "I'm just . doing what comes naturally." She smiled weakly.  
  
Amber nodded. "But I just wanted you to know that it's appreciated." She sighed again. "Sometimes I wonder why we bother. We haven't got any group spirit, and certainly no work ethic. Everyone's out for themselves."  
  
Salene frowned worriedly and continued stirring the mixture. "It'll all work out Amber." She struggled for consoling words.  
  
Amber shook her head and smiled apologetically. "Sorry, Salene. I'm just offloading my problems to you. It's not fair. If anyone's making the effort, it's you."  
  
*****  
  
Trudy rejoined Bray smiling. She felt fresh and new after using the soap Bray had found. She had changed into a baggy khaki shirt with big cream cuffs and a big cream hem. She wore a long, loose, khaki dress which glided on the floor as she walked. Her purple hair now shone under the light, she had parted her hair and braided thin khaki ribbons around sections of her hair. Her make up was refreshed and her skin was clean and white.  
  
"Ready?" Bray asked.  
  
Trudy nodded tiredly. Bray hooked a supportive arm under Trudy's mid-back, using his other hand to grip her hand firmly. Trudy rested her free hand on the top of her bump protectively. She tried not to show the feelings of doubt and fear she was experiencing. "Where is this place then? This safe- haven of yours?"  
  
Bray smiled encouragingly. "Umm, it's a mall, The Phoenix or something, I think."  
  
"O, I know the one you're on about." Trudy interjected. "I used to go there with my mu-" She looked at the floor and sighed. Picking at a nail, she blinked back a tear and looked at Bray brightly. "Yeh, I know it."  
  
"Well, I think we'd better make a move now before the window of opportunity is closed in our faces. They're good people there, but they won't take just anyone in."  
  
*****  
  
The rabble was congregated for the daily feed. Salene had served equal portions for everyone, but as usual, Lex had demanded more. Salene held the ladle worriedly in front of her, above the cooking pots. She bit her lip and looked at the dark, angry man in front of her. Raising a hand to brush her hair behind her ear she moved slightly in a worried motion with her feet. She looked over Lex's shoulder to Amber for support. They had all lined up for their food and Amber was waiting impatiently behind Lex with her plate readied.  
  
"I - I'm not sure ." Salene mumbled. "If you have that much, there won't be any beans left for me or Ryan ."  
  
Lex leaned on the table, blocking Salene's view of Amber and leaning his face close to hers menacingly. "Ryan doesn't want any." He turned to Ryan momentarily. "Do you Ryan?" Lex turned back to Salene without waiting to see Ryan's faltering shrug. "And you women don't need as much."  
  
From behind, Amber's hand gripped Lex's shoulder and spun him back, her face was thunder. "WHAT?" She demanded angrily. "I'm sorry Lex, but we don't accept sexist pigs around here."  
  
Lex opened his arms in protest. "I'm not being sexist." He turned back to Salene. "I'm being practical."  
  
From further behind Amber, Ryan piped up. "Come on, Salene. Hurry up, we're starving and it - it's getting cold."  
  
A flustered Salene decided to grant Lex what he had asked for and go without herself. Lex left to sit down contentedly. Amber's face was angry as she approached Salene. Holding her plate out to be served she whispered to Salene.  
  
"Why did you let him have that?"  
  
Salene tried to avoid eye contact. She frowned worriedly. "I don't know, I don't know! I just . I got mixed up . it's so hard to say no when he's looking at you like that. He doesn't take no for an answer."  
  
Amber took her food with both hands and before she left said, "Well, if you want to be walked over ."  
  
After Ryan and Salene had both got their food, the whole group was assembled around the table, except for Cloe.  
  
"Where's that . Cloe girl?" Zandra asked conversationally.  
  
"She's sleeping." Salene answered, reaching for the salt, "She's so exhausted."  
  
Amber frowned. "Well what about her food?"  
  
Salene ducked her eyes. "I - I'm taking some up for her once we've finished."  
  
Zandra smiled. "That's nice of you. You're a real mother aren't you?"  
  
Salene smiled shyly at the compliment then turned her eyes back to her food.  
  
Whilst they were talking, Amber made a speech about the chores that needed to be done around the mall. She said that everyone should chip in to decorate bedrooms, find food, medical supplies and to clean up the mess that had been left behind by weeks of looting. Jack suggested that he and Dal work out how their resources would last and what they needed to stock up on. The whole group reluctantly decided that this was the best plan of action for the next few days.  
  
*****  
  
Amber crossed the grand 'entrance hall'. Her booted feet clipped as she moved. She raised a hand to her forehead, stroking her eyebrow with her index finger. She struggled to keep a sigh within her tired frame. 'Great time to leave, Bray,' she thought, 'great way to plunge moral into unimaginable depths. Lex was right'.  
  
Amber's thoughts were stopped abruptly as her body was shaken to a halt. Amber looked down. "Dal?"  
  
Dal's brown eyes showed a flash of surprise and then a sweeping wave of anger. His face was accusing and angry. "Amber." He said, staring her in the face, challenging her with his questioning silence. Every moment of his gaze made the Spanish Inquisition seem like a light conversation for Amber, Dal got all the information he needed from her eyes. When she could take no more, she looked away guiltily, trying to break the gaze of her old friend.  
  
When Amber looked back into his face, he still had the same angry look, he hadn't backed off. Dal was the first to speak. "Lex was right."  
  
Amber's face contorted with slight shock as she wandered how he could read her so easily. Her attention was sharpened. He spoke again. His voice was quiet, his tone angry. "Lex was right. *I* was right." His words were punctuated by his dark angry eyes. "Bray was a traitor."  
  
Amber rolled her eyes and turned her face away from him. Dal wasn't going to let this rest. "Great decision, *leader*." He spat, "Well advised by your cronies."  
  
Amber turned a sullen face to Dal. "That wasn't my fault." She was interrupted by a loud tut from Dal. "Ok, maybe it was, but it's not easy. It wasn't an easy decision to make. What was I supposed to do? Throw him out? What kind of leader would I have been then, Dal? What kind of example would I set?  
  
"Who said you were their leader, Amber? Who said you had to take them under your wing? We had a plan, go to the country and . O, you know it all by now." He flapped a hand dismissively and turned to leave, shaking his head.  
  
Amber put a hand on his arm to stop him. "Dal. You're my best friend, I-"  
  
He swung around to face her. His voice became loud and tense, his eyes wider. "Then why didn't you listen to me?! Why are we still here being ripped off?"  
  
Amber shrugged. "I, I . We can't leave Dal."  
  
"Why?" Venom tinged the simple word.  
  
Amber blinked slowly. "They need us, Dal. You can see that."  
  
"Can I? All I can see is a bunch of kids and losers."  
  
"Exactly, Dal. They'd be nothing without a leading force, something to make them stick together, force them to get through this, force them to become something good. We can't keep walking away from problems, Dal. These people are just as lost as us, except we have the power to do something about it. I think we could make them into something."  
  
A slow smile spread over Dal's face. "Our own tribe?"  
  
"Something like that, yeh."  
  
*****  
  
Salene carried the tray down the corridor to the room where they had been sleeping. It didn't look like much, but it was all she'd been able to save from the others. She could hardly blame them. They were starved. She supposed little Cloe wouldn't want too much anyway. Passing the stairs she noticed Lex had lingered a little longer, not going straight to chores like Amber had suggested.  
  
"Got Cloe some breakfast in bed, eh?" Lex asked in his smarmy, sickly sweet croon. "Very nice. Very generous."  
  
Salene tried to smile. Knowing she would have to pass him, she tightened her body and hoped he wouldn't try anything on. She knew people like him. They would always pick on her, on people who were too weak or too shy to stand up and fight back. Lex leaned nonchalantly on the banister, his feet protruding far out into Salene's path. She would have to walk around him. His hands hung loosely from elbow-level and as she walked past he visibly followed her with his whole face.  
  
Salene nodded to him as she passed. The best advice her father had given her about people like Lex was to be polite, be normal, and show them you aren't scared, even if you are. "She's probably starving, poor thing."  
  
Lex got up quickly, making Salene start a little. She tried to hide it but he smirked slightly when he saw her reaction. "Don't worry Sal," he crooned.  
  
'Sal?' Salene thought, 'Since when was I Sal?'  
  
"I'll help you with that, you seem a little jumpy." He moved behind her, walking in the same stride as her. Sliding the tray from her hands before she could protest, he leaned over to whisper into her ear, making her feel even more uncomfortable. "It must be all those Locos and Demon Dogs out there."  
  
Salene didn't alter her stride but her face was struck with nerves. She didn't look at him, only shrugged casually, wishing he would leave her alone, stop tormenting her.  
  
Lex's grin broadened, but the sinister air still prevailed. "Pretty girl like you could get hurt. You need someone to protect you."  
  
Salene cringed even more, every inch of her tensed and ready to react if he tried anything on.  
  
But they reached the door to the bedroom and Lex handed the tray back to Salene. His smile had dropped and he seemed to notice something downstairs.  
  
Salene was confused. He was so interested it was scary one moment, now he seemed bored. "Th-thanks, Lex." She tried to smile at him.  
  
"Yeh, any time Sal." He said, not looking at her, waving non-commitally and wandering off to check out something more interesting.  
  
As Salene watched him go she scolded herself over her feelings now. Why was she disappointed when Lex stopped paying her attention? That name, Sal, a moment ago had seemed special and refreshing . now it was seen at face value. It was a lazy way of saying Salene. Boring old, dependable Salene. Salene shook her head and laughed at herself slightly for thinking that Lex had been trying it on with her, turning swiftly into the bedroom she scanned the room for Cloe's sleepy form. 


End file.
